A Whisper On the Wind
by Miah-Chan
Summary: SasuSaku Oneshot! Sakura has loved Sasuke since the days of the Academy. She's loved him even after his betrayal to Konoha; she'll love him always. But have Sasuke's feelings changed at all? Perhaps a meeting of the two will tell...


Hey everyone! :-) I've finally brought another Naruto Oneshot to you...this time a SasuSaku!! ^^ Aw yay. And it's a nice one too, no deaths or anything. :-D Hehe. I'm going to try to write another SasuSaku sometime...I'm not really happy with this one.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

Enjoy!!

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**A Whisper On the Wind**

_/SasuSaku Oneshot/_

"I hear them," whispered a soft voice as green eyes focused on a building through the rain. A single light flickered in the way a candle will when a gentle breeze sways its flame. Everything else in the small town was silent and dark. The only sign of life was the young woman hidden away in an alleyway, too well disguised to be noticed.

"Good. We will move in soon. Stay in your position until I give the word," her partner replied through the com-link in her ear. She nodded routinely and said nothing, her eyes on the window. The light still flickered and she could hear the faintest of voices coming through the curtains. Her jade orbs trained on the dancing flame as she tried to hear what was being said.

When the voices paused, she could almost feel the tension drift into the air like a poisonous gas. She held her breath as though it were the proverbial threat, and squinted through the rain to make out the flame again. When it went out, she sucked in a hiss of air. This was not good.

"They're quiet. I can't see anything anymore—they have cut off their light source. Do you read me? I've lost them." She whispered to her partner.

"Stay calm. We have this under control. They're cornered rats, no matter where they go. We've got this." He replied monotonously. She knew then that there was more to this mission than she had been told. His voice never took that tone unless there was much to lose.

"I can—" she started to suggest a plan of action on her part, but a cool blade next to her throat stopped her in her tracks. Stunned, her eyes grew wide and she knew she was done.

"No, do not move from your position! Stay where you are; we need you there. The rest of us have this. Do you hear me? Stay in your position!" her partners voice growled in her ear. She didn't reply, which he was used to and took as an agreement. When her com-link was turned off, he did not notice as he ran away from her to report to his other team-member.

"What are you doing here…Sakura?" came a cold voice next to her ear, the blade touching her throat just a little harder. Sakura felt her heart pounding erratically in her chest, her fear—and excitement—taking over. She stared at the black window without saying a word.

"Speak," the voice ordered, the blade cutting skin just enough for her to feel a small trail of blood trickle down her neck. Sakura took a deep breath before replying stiffly, "Sasuke."

"My name is not the answer." He retorted, wrapping an arm around her torso as he held her close to his own. Her chin lifted as his blade pressed into her skin and he saw her wince softly. This did not sway his decision into releasing her, or his pressure of the blade on her throat.

"It is," she insisted. "You are my reason for being here."

"Another pathetic attempt at retrieving me, is it?" he sighed in a bored voice. A flash of amusement skirted through the pink-haired woman's eyes before it was gone. His tone was so memorable it was almost funny. He noticed this quick emotion and frowned, sliding his blade away and, in a second's breath, had her pinned against the alley wall.

"It will be your last mission for Konoha." He promised with malice in his voice. Fear flitted through her eyes before it disappeared as swiftly as the amusement had. Puzzled by this, Sasuke studied her eyes. She showed no more fear, only relief.

"Does that mean you will kill me then?" she asked softly. "If it does, thank you. I no longer wish to be sent on retrieval missions for you only to fail again and again. If this shall turn out the same, then please…kill me. It only kills me slowly in my heart to see you and not be able to be with you when we encounter each other in these ways. So if you are going to kill me, do it; do not send me back to Konoha without you again."

Sasuke stared at her in astonishment; this girl—no, this woman—still loved him after all this time, after all the times he had attempted to end her life in combat. She still would rather die than to be without him. She would rather face death than return to her home without him by her side.

"Sakura…" he murmured, still searching her eyes. All those years ago, when he had left her behind the gates, he had known she had loved him; she had admitted it. He had only thought it was foolish and childish, and had not returned her feelings then. But as the years wore on, he began to feel differently. That first time three years after his betrayal, when he had seen her…God, she had been beautiful. As was she now, as has she always been. He knew his feelings had changed; how could they not have, when he had, had time and time again chances to kill her but could not bring himself to pierce her heart with his blade? Yes, his feelings had changed; they now matched her own.

"Sakura," he tried again, touching her cheek. Her eyes widened, but there was still no fear. Shock, yes, but no fear. He touched her lips and wondered if they would be as soft under his own as they were under his fingers. He was unused to these emotions, but in a strange way he enjoyed them. He was certain Sakura would be the only person in the universe he could feel these feelings towards as well.

"Sasuke…please, kill me." The woman begged her green eyes closed. Was that the rain on her cheeks or tears? Sasuke was unsure. He frowned in confusion and leaned his head down to rest his forehead against hers, cradling her cheeks in his hands.

"What is it?" he inquired softly, wishing she would open her eyes. She shuddered and he felt hot tears touch his fingers in contrast to the rain. She _was_ crying, he realized. But why?

"Please…don't do this to me. I know that you know I still love you…but please, don't taunt me this way. Kill me if you want, but don't mock my feelings for you like this. It is worse than death, to know you do not love me but find it amusing to tease me in such a manner." She wept, keeping her eyes closed. Sasuke blinked and leaned back, narrowing his eyes. She shuddered again as he released her face and he commanded, "Open your eyes, Sakura."

Slowly she did so, and squeaked in surprise when he took hold of her chin and kissed her softly. Her eyes widened and she stared into his, trying to find an answer. He prodded for her response but she gave none, unwilling to give in to his game. He let her go after a moment, resting a hand beside her head to prevent escape, though she was far from thinking of that.

"I am not toying with your feelings, Sakura." He tried to assure her. She shook her head. "Stop it! I can't stand when you do this to me…act as though you care, when you don't. If you cared, you would have stayed with me all those years ago! And even if not then, you would have come back with me. At some point, if you really cared about me, if you really cared about my feelings about you, you would have come back!" She was crying again, harder than ever before. He hadn't seen her cry so hard even when he had first abandoned her.

He tried to explain. "I can't come back. I have to kill my brother, Sakura. It doesn't mean I don't care for you; I do. But I can't come back with you."

"Then you are lying!" she accused him heatedly, her eyes opening with anger. The tears, however, still flowed. "What do you expect to do when you finally kill Itachi? Have you thought that far? Have you gotten around to what is ahead of you after your revenge? It means nothing to you that I love you so much that I would help you kill him if that were your wish. It means nothing to you that I love you enough to stay behind, watching you as you ruin your future with this insane idea of justice. My love means nothing to you, because if it did, you would hear me out."

"Be quiet!" he hissed, slamming his hands on the wall of either side of her head. She glared at him and he growled, "I love you, damn it. I've loved you for years. I love you so damn much I've refused to let you know so that you don't get in the way! Not in the way of my revenge, not in the way of my future but in the way of my battles, so that you don't die! I could not sit back and watch you die trying to "_save_" me. That's why I haven't killed you; I couldn't! You are my weakness Sakura. My love for you is probably the only weakness I have and damn if it doesn't seem to get in the way again and again as your village and Hokage send you on a squad after me every time I am sighted! Damn it all to bloody hell if you aren't the one thing in this world that would make me stop what I am doing, stop any fight I am in, to save you if I saw you at your end. I love you like I've never loved anything in my life; that's why I can't go back with you. You are far safer away from me than you are with me."

Sakura stared at him in astonishment; her green eyes glistening with unshed tears. Sasuke's red eyes glared into hers, his breathing rough as if he had just told a huge forbidden secret never meant to be heard by human ears. In a way perhaps he had; only those human ears were his own, the secret never meant to leave his mind, never meant to be admitted aloud, especially in front of the source.

Sakura stared into the Uchiha's ruby eyes, which seemed just as shocked as she felt. By that show of emotion alone she knew he meant everything he had just admitted. Slowly the anger, pain and shock faded and she smiled softly. Warmth flooded her being and she felt what she had only heard and dreamed of…loved.

Sasuke could not break eye contact with the kunoichi before him. He saw when her anger resided and became replaced with happiness. He felt her relax and the smile that played on her lips made him want to continue seeing it. Forever. He wanted her by his side, every day for the rest of their lives. And it would—could—never happen.

He stepped away from her, his face an emotionless mask once more. His eyes returned to their onyx color and he turned from her, eyes closing tiredly. Without a word, he began to walk away from the only girl he would ever love and knew he could never have.

She hit his back with the force of hundreds, too fast for even his senses to comprehend until she was upon him. He grunted and staggered forward, her arms clamped around his own and his torso in a hug from behind. He stood still again, and breathed out slowly; regaining the breath she had knocked out of him. The two stood there for a moment, silent, until Sasuke turned around in her arms.

And returned her hug.

Sakura inhaled sharply, shocked. Sasuke's arms were around her, his cheek resting on her hair. She could feel his pulse racing and knew he was questioning his actions even then. But he didn't pull away.

"I won't let you leave. Not this time," she whispered into his chest. Sasuke said nothing in response and she tightened her hold around his waist. There was a moment that she thought he would try to push her away, the way he was so still and quiet, but finally a strangled chuckle was heard from him.

"You don't have to squeeze the air from my lungs, Sakura." He murmured, his posture the same. She rested her cheek against his chest, noticing the warmth of his skin in contrast to the cold rain. Taking in a shaky breath, she let it go slowly before answering in return, "I'm afraid if I loosen even the slightest, you'll disappear."

He pulled back then, just enough to get Sakura to raise her head. He looked down on her, studying her in silence. Her jade eyes widened when he kissed her forehead gently.

"It won't be pleasant," he whispered against her hair, his onyx eyes closed in thought. Sakura held her breath, waiting for what she couldn't believe he might say.

"Traveling with me, I mean. It won't be easy and it won't be fun. And you will never be able to return to Konoha. If you choose this life, Sakura, everything you once knew is dead. You'll be a rouge ninja, hunted. And—"

"Yes!" she breathed, looking up at him. "Yes! I don't care if I never set foot inside Konoha again. As long as I'm with you…"

"You say that now," he chided sternly. "But once the thrill wears off, you'll begin to miss everyone. You probably won't like my team and you'll probably become homesick. And I have a feeling that you'll still try to persuade me to return to Konoha with you one day."

"I'm sure I'll miss everyone," Sakura agreed softly. "And I may not be fond of your teammates. And I'm sure every once and awhile I'll yearn for Konoha. But as long as I'm with you, Sasuke, I can never be unhappy. I understand the consequences of staying with you. I don't care. I love you. I will not lose you." Her green eyes burned into his with challenge, daring him to send her away. He studied her quietly, wondering what the hell he was thinking.

When she kissed him, he remembered. He loved his woman and she loved him and nothing in this world or the next could separate them now.

He broke the kiss before it could go further and stepped away. Her look became anxious, but he only tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing her com-link, of which he had turned off earlier. He removed it and tossed it aside, smiling as it cracked against the alley wall. He took her hand and asked once more, "Are you certain, Sakura?"

"Absolutely." She answered, smiling up at him lovingly. Sasuke nodded and in the blink of an eye they were gone, far away from the town and squad that pursued them. Disappearing like a whisper on the wind, without a trace.

Hours later, a blond-haired man walked into the alley, picking up the broken com-link. His blue eyes were hard as he gazed around the alley, understanding what must have happened. Gripping the device in his hand, he turned away from the alley with a small smile on his lips.

'_Good luck, Sakura, Sasuke. I know you will be happy.'_ Uzumaki Naruto thought, gathering the rest of his squad to return home.

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I'm not really happy with the way I ended this fic. I started it a couple of months ago and suddenly decided to quickly finish it up a night or so ago. It was a spur-of-the-moment type of ending, so I'm not really happy with it. But hope you guys enjoyed it! Like I wrote above, I want to write another SasuSaku sometime, but I don't know when exactly. Whenever I can get an idea. I am currently working on a NaruSaku as well, so maybe you guys will be seeing that up sometime. :-)

Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are love! :-D

~Miah-Chan


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